Lewisham Choral Society presents a Christmas concert with a difference! The premiere of specially commissioned In My Way, by Kate Whitley, celebrates the life of choir member Miriam McCleod, who died in 2015. A lifelong passionate peace campaigner, the words are taken from the speech Miriam prepared for Newbury Magistrates Court, after her arrest at Greenham Common Peace Camp. As Christmas is a time when we wish for peace in the years ahead, this a fitting occasion to pay tribute to Miriam.
Alongside this powerful and immensely moving work, we present a sparkling selection of traditional and contemporary festive music, including the beautiful Snow by Ben Parry and carols by Rutter and more. And of course there will be plenty of opportunity for audience participation!
Kate Whitley's choral, ballet and orchestral music has been performed on radio and at the Proms. Her piece Speak Out, to words by Malala Yousafzai, commissioned by the BBC for International Womens day 2017, has been performed all round the world. She is also well-known for her work with the innovative Multi-Story Orchestra, which takes music out of the concert hall to bring it to local audiences in car parks around the UK.
The choir is accompanied by Nico de Villiers (piano) and James Orford (organ). Nico, assistant director of LCS, is a concert pianist, accompanist and voice coach who has performed all over the world. Earlier this year, he performed Schumann's Piano Concerto at the Festival Hall to great acclaim. James Orford is an organist, pianist and accompanist, performing widely at cathedrals and concert halls around the UK. He has held organ scholarships at several cathedrals, including St Pauls. Our talented Music Director Dan Ludford-Thomas leads several choirs including the National Children's Choir of Great Britain.
